LeERF2基因对旱稻耐盐性的影响

采用T2代转LeERF2基因旱稻(旱297)为材料,研究分蘖期盐胁迫下植株光合性能和生理反应.结果表明,50 mM NaCl胁迫条件下,转基因植株(T)和野生型对照(WT)的各项光合参数差异不明显,但在100 mM NaCl胁迫条件下,转基因植株仍能维持较高的光合速率和气孔导度.随着NaCl胁迫浓度增加,野生型旱稻和转基因旱稻植株叶片SOD活性增加幅度加大,但都表现为转基因植株增幅更明显,而MDA含量则表现为野生型植株增幅更明显,表明LeERF2基因增强了旱稻盐胁迫下抗氧化能力,提高了耐盐性,能维持较高光合速率.     

异源过表达齿肋赤藓ScABI3基因改变拟南芥气孔表型并提高抗旱性

ABI3是ABA信号通路中关键的转录调控因子, 参与种子休眠、质体发育及苔藓耐干等重要生理过程, 在植物抗逆中发挥关键作用。以荒漠耐干苔藓——齿肋赤藓(Syntrichia caninervis)为材料, 克隆了抗逆基因ScABI3并获得3个独立的pCAMBIA1301-ScABI3转基因拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana)纯合株系。结果表明, 转基因拟南芥叶片气孔孔径增大, 单位面积气孔数量减少, 植株水分利用效率提高; 在干旱处理14天后转基因拟南芥植株存活率显著高于野生型, 离体叶片失水率显著低于野生型。进一步研究发现, ScABI3转基因拟南芥通过提高自身活性氧(ROS)清除能力增强植株抗旱性。研究结果可为开发利用荒漠植物基因资源培育抗逆作物品种奠定基础。     

NRRB在水稻应答高盐和干旱胁迫中的功能解析

为研究NRRB在水稻抗逆反应中的作用,通过重叠延伸PCR扩增NRRB基因编码区,构建超量表达载体,并转化水稻愈伤组织获得超量表达转基因水稻植株。鉴定结果表明,该基因已被整合到水稻基因组中,并实现超量表达;同时构建了抑制表达载体,获得转基因株系,PCR检测结果证实NRRB基因在转基因水稻中受到明显抑制。对T1代转基因植株进行抗旱性、耐盐性分析,结果显示,超量表达NRRB基因增强了转基因水稻对干旱的抗性,抑制表达NRRB基因的转基因水稻对干旱的敏感性增强,表明NRRB正调控水稻对干旱的抗性;耐盐性分析表明,NRRB基因的抑制表达降低了植株对盐的敏感性。     

转AhNCED1基因拟南芥的形态特征和抗旱性研究

目的：探讨外源基因花生NCED1（AhNCED1）对拟南芥的形态特征和抗旱能力的影响。方法：观察转AhNCED1拟南芥的表型特征以及在干旱条件下的变化,利用扫描电镜观察植株叶上表面细胞和气孔大小。结果：与野生型相比,AhNCED1转基因植株矮壮,株型紧凑,分蘖和分枝数减少,幼苗根发育好。在干旱条件下转基因型植株叶大色绿,气孔开度减小,表皮细胞排列紧密。结论：转基因型植株在干旱条件下的表型特征与抗旱能力表明转基因拟南芥抗旱能力高于野生型。     

拟南芥黑芥子酶TGG1对抗旱性的作用

为阐明拟南芥中黑芥子酶TGG1对抗旱性的影响,构建了35S启动子驱动的TGG1过表达载体,并将其转入拟南芥获得了转基因植株。以野生型和过量表达TGG1的转基因植株为材料,进行干旱胁迫实验,结果显示,在甘露醇模拟的干旱胁迫下35S∶TGG1种子平均发芽率显著高于野生型,平均相对电导率则显著低于野生型;自然干旱胁迫下,35S∶TGG1的相对失水速率显著慢于野生型,而干旱复水后的平均存活率则显著高于野生型。对气孔的观察结果表明,过表达TGG1的转基因植株气孔对ABA处理具有更高的敏感性,气孔关闭程度显著高于野生型植株。以上研究结果表明,过量表达TGG1基因可显著提高拟南芥的抗旱能力,而且其抗性机制很可能与气孔在逆境下的关闭程度有关。     

过量表达菊花DmDREBa基因提高转化烟草耐低温能力

各种环境因素,如干旱、高盐、激素和低/高温等非生物胁迫对植物的生长发育造成很大影响。DREB转录因子在植物抵抗非生物胁迫中起到关键作用。本研究通过根癌农杆菌介导的叶盘转化法将菊花DmD REBa基因导入烟草中并进行了耐低温能力分析。研究利用PCR的方法鉴定出了43株转基因阳性植株。随机选取其中9株转基因植株,有7株在RNA转录水平能够表达。Southern杂交检测表明,DmD REBa基因以1~3个拷贝形式随机插入到烟草基因组中。胁迫处理结果表明,DmD REBa基因明显增强了转基因烟草抵抗低温能力。通过叶片上下表皮气孔密度检测,发现转基因烟草的蒸腾失水量远远低于对照野生型。进一步对低温胁迫下转基因烟草的丙二醛含量进行测定分析,发现转基因烟草丙二醛含量比野生型烟草低22.29%。综上结果表明,DmD REBa基因能够提高转基因烟草对低温的耐受能力,为菊花DREB转录因子的深入研究提供理论依据,并为进一步解析菊花DREB基因功能奠定基础。     

转拟南芥AtNPR1基因增强水稻对水稻白叶枯病和稻瘟病的抗性

AtNPR1基因是拟南芥系统获得抗性的一个重要调节基因,在拟南芥中过量表达AtNPR1基因能使拟南芥对细菌和真菌的抗性同时增强.为了研究在水稻中过量表达AtNPR1基因对水稻抗病性的影响,将该基因转入到广西主栽籼稻恢复系品种桂99中.经PCR验证得到了79株转基因植株,DNA斑点杂交表明ATNPR1基因已经整合到桂99染色体DNA中.Northern杂交和RT-PCR分析表明,AtNPR1基因在桂99中已经表达;同时还检测了转基因植株对水稻白叶枯病和稻瘟病的抗性,结果表明转基因植株对该两种病害的抗性均显著增强.     

高表达水稻WRKY72基因影响拟南芥生长素信号传导

植物转录调控因子WRKY基因家族是一个拥有众多成员的超家族,功能涵盖了植物生长发育的控制与抗病耐逆的调节。我们主要分析了OsWRKY72基因在外源植物拟南芥中的生物学功能。通过转基因拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana)的遗传学研究发现外源高表达该基因不单明显地抑制转基因植株的顶端优势,增强植株侧枝的生长,还改变了转基因植株叶片和角果的发育。进一步分析证实,高表达OsWRKY72基因所导致转基因拟南芥植株的表型和其它生理现象都与生长素信号通路改变所导致的表型和生理变化极其相近。这些结果说明OsWRKY72基因在外源植物拟南芥体内高表达后很可能改变了其正常的生长素信号通路。     

转MhGlu基因烟草灰霉病抗性及光合特性研究

以湖北海棠盆栽及组培苗叶片为材料,经NaCl、PEG-6000及4℃下ABA处理后,通过RT-PCR技术克隆了湖北海棠β-1,3-葡聚糖酶基因MhGlu;构建MhGlu基因的植物表达载体,通过农杆菌介导法将MhGlu基因转入烟草中,并通过PCR和RT-PCR检测,成功获得了4个转基因株系T6、T8、T11和T18;以转基因烟草株系T6及T8和非转基因对照植株为材料,对MhGlu基因的功能进行了进一步分析。结果显示:(1)半定量qRT-PCR显示,NaCl、PEG-6000及4℃下ABA处理均可以诱导湖北海棠盆栽及组培苗叶片MhGlu基因的表达;NaCl和PEG-6000处理48h内MhGlu基因的表达随处理时间延长逐渐增强,4℃下ABA处理的MhGlu基因表达量在4h时开始上调,12h时略降低,48h时又达到最大。(2)半定量RT-PCR检测转基因烟草植株几个病程相关基因PRs的表达量,表明过表达的MhGlu基因诱导并增强了烟草病程相关基因NtPR1、NtPR3和NtPR5的表达。(3)用灰霉病侵染烟草叶片,转基因烟草株系T6、T8均表现出较强的抗灰霉病特性。(4)测定烟草植株光合特性参数,转MhGlu基因烟草株系的净光合速率(Pn)、蒸腾速率(Tr)和气孔导度(Gs)较对照组均显著提高,且T8的净光合速率和蒸腾速率均显著高于T6,而T8与T6的气孔导度差异不显著。MhGlu基因在烟草中的过量表达能诱导病程相关基因PRs的表达,激活了烟草的光合特性保护机制,提高了转MhGlu基因烟草植株的灰霉病抗性。     

烟草MnSOD基因在保定苜蓿中的转化

通过农杆菌介导的转基因方法 ,将烟草MnSOD基因的cDNA序列导入保定苜蓿中 ,成功地诱导了转基因植株的再生。转基因植株生长和发育良好 ,NPTⅡ基因和MnSOD基因的PCR检测和Southern杂交表明MnSOD基因已经导入到保定苜蓿的再生植株中 ,MnSOD活性检测表明部分转基因植株的MnSOD活性显著高于对照植株     

拟南芥中一个类似钙调素蛋白的基因结构及其缺磷、缺钾诱导表达

通过拟南芥芯片杂交分析发现推测的钙调素基因(GenBank accession No.Atlg76650)与低磷胁迫有关.对该基因的结构研究确认了该基因编码一个含有三个EF-hand结构域的类似钙调素的蛋白,Northern检测表明该基因在缺钾、缺磷条件下诱导表达,但在缺氮、高盐等胁迫条件下不受影响.经RT-PCR和启动子融合GUS转基因植株的组织化学染色分析,表明该基因在拟南芥中为全株表达,但各器官中表达丰度不尽相同.     

Over-expression of LeNCED1 in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) with the rbcS3C promoter allows recovery of lines that accumulate very high levels of abscisic acid and exhibit severe phenotypes

Previous work where 9- cis -epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase (NCED) was over-expressed using the constitutive Gelvin Superpromoter resulted in mild increases in abscisic acid (ABA) accumulation, accompanied by stomatal closure and increased water-use efficiency (WUE), but with apparently little impact on long-term biomass production. However, one of the negative effects of the over-expression of NCED using constitutive promoters in tomato was increased seed dormancy. Here we report the use of the rbcS3C promoter, from a gene encoding the small subunit of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco), to drive LeNCED1 transgene expression in tomato in a light-responsive and circadian manner. In comparison to the constitutive promoter, the rbcS3C promoter allowed the generation of transgenic plants with much higher levels of ABA accumulation in leaves and sap, but the effect on seed dormancy was diminished. These plants displayed the expected reductions in stomatal conductance and CO₂ assimilation, but they also exhibited a severe set of symptoms that included perturbed cotyledon release from the testa, increased photobleaching in young seedlings, substantially reduced chlorophyll and carotenoid content, interveinal leaf flooding, and greatly reduced growth. These symptoms illustrate adverse consequences of long-term, very high ABA accumulation. Only more moderate increases in ABA biosynthesis are likely to be useful in the context of agriculture. Implications are discussed for the design of transgenic 'high ABA' plants that exhibit increased WUE but have minimal negative phenotypic effects.     

The EAR Motif Controls the Early Flowering and Senescence Phenotype Mediated by Over-Expression of SlERF36 and Is Partly Responsible for Changes in Stomatal Density and Photosynthesis

The EAR motif is a small seven amino acid motif associated with active repression of several target genes. We had previously identified SlERF36 as an EAR motif containing gene from tomato and shown that its over-expression results in early flowering and senescence and a 25–35% reduction of stomatal density, photosynthesis and stomatal conductance in transgenic tobacco. In order to understand the role of the EAR motif in governing the phenotypes, we have expressed the full-length SlERF36 and a truncated form, lacking the EAR motif under the CaMV35S promoter, in transgenic Arabidopsis. Plants over-expressing the full-length SlERF36 show prominent early flowering under long day as well as short day conditions. The early flowering leads to an earlier onset of senescence in these transgenic plants which in turn reduces vegetative growth, affecting rosette, flower and silique sizes. Stomatal number is reduced by 38–39% while photosynthesis and stomatal conductance decrease by about 30–40%. Transgenic plants over-expressing the truncated version of SlERF36 (lacking the C-terminal EAR motif), show phenotypes largely matching the control with normal flowering and senescence indicating that the early flowering and senescence is governed by the EAR motif. On the other hand, photosynthetic rates and stomatal number were also reduced in plants expressing SlERF36ΔEAR although to a lesser degree compared to the full- length version indicating that these are partly controlled by the EAR motif. These studies show that the major phenotypic changes in plant growth caused by over-expression of SlERF36 are actually mediated by the EAR motif.     

Bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase-directed, inducible and tissue-specific over-expression of foreign genes in transgenic plants

A widely applicable bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase-directed, tissue-specific and inducible over-expression of foreign genes in transgenic plants was developed. This was achieved through the simultaneous transformation of a modified T7 RNA polymerase to specifically transcribe the foreign gene placed under the control of T7 expression signals. The T7 RNA polymerase recognized the chimeric uidA gene integrated randomly into tobacco and rice genomes. Results from the use of six different promoters with different tissue specificities indicated that the recombinant protein was expressed at a several-fold (3-10-fold) higher level when compared with transgenes expressed directly under the control of these tissue-specific promoters. An important feature of the T7 system in plants was the near-uniform expression in the independently transformed plants, in contrast with the large variations observed in transgene expression under the direct control of plant promoters. In addition, our results demonstrated the application of the T7 system in the regulation of transgene expression through chemically inducible mechanisms. This versatility of controlled and regulated expression offers a powerful tool that could be used in various programmes in plant biotechnology and genomic studies.     

Heat-inducible C3HC4 type RING zinc finger protein gene from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Capsicum annuum</Emphasis> enhances growth of transgenic tobacco

Capsicum annuum RING Zinc Finger Protein 1 (CaRZFP1) gene is a novel C3HC4-type RING zinc finger protein gene which was previously isolated from a cDNA library for hot pepper plants treated of heat-shock. The CaRZFP1 was inducible to diverse environmental stresses in hot pepper plants. We introduced the CaRZFP1 into the Wisconsin 38 cultivar of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) by Agrobacterium mediated transformation under the control of the CaMV 35S promoter. Expression of the transgene in the transformed tobacco plants was demonstrated by RNA blot analyses. There appeared no adverse effect of over-expression of the transgene on overall growth and development of transformants. The genetic analysis of tested T₁ lines showed that the transgene segregated in a Mendelian fashion. Transgenic tobacco lines that expressed the CaRZFP1 gene were compared with several different empty vector lines and they exhibited enhanced growth; they have larger primary root, more lateral root, larger hypocotyls and bigger leaf size, resulting in heavier fresh weight. Enhanced growth of transgenic lines accompanied with longer vegetative growth that resulted in bigger plants with higher number of leaves. Microarray analysis revealed the up-regulation of some growth related genes in the transgenic plants which were verified by specific oligomer RNA blot analyses. These results indicate that CaRZFP1 activates and up-regulates some growth related proteins and thereby effectively promoting plant growth. N. Zeba and M. Isbat contributed equally to the work.     

Over-expression of a cytosolic isoform of the HbCuZnSOD gene in Hevea brasiliensis changes its response to a water deficit

Hevea brasiliensis is the main commercial source of natural rubber. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging systems are involved in various biotic and abiotic stresses. Genetic engineering was undertaken to study the strengthening of plant defences by antioxidants. To that end, Hevea transgenic plant lines over-expressing a Hevea brasiliensis cytosolic HbCuZnSOD gene were successfully established and regenerated. Over-expression of the HbCuZnSOD gene was not clearly related to an increase in SOD activity in plant leaves. The impact of HbCuZnSOD gene over-expression in somatic embryogenesis and in plant development are presented and discussed. The water deficit tolerance of two HbCuZnSOD over-expressing lines was evaluated. The physiological parameters of transgenic plantlets subjected to a water deficit suggested that plants from line TS4T8An displayed lower stomatal conductance and a higher proline content. Over-expression of the HbCuZnSOD gene and activation of all ROS-scavenging enzymes also suggested that protection against ROS was more efficient in the TS4T8An transgenic line.     

Elevated sucrose-phosphate synthase activity in transgenic tobacco sustains photosynthesis in older leaves and alters development

Constitutive over-expression of a maize sucrose-phosphate synthase (SPS) gene in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) had major effects on leaf carbohydrate budgets with consequences for whole plant development. Transgenic tobacco plants flowered earlier and had greater flower numbers than wild-type plants. These changes were not linked to modified source leaf carbon assimilation or carbon export, although sucrose to starch ratios were significantly higher in leaves expressing the transgene. The youngest and oldest leaves of plants over-expressing SPS had up to 10-fold wild-type maximal extractable SPS activity, but source leaf SPS activities were only 2-3 times greater in these lines than in the wild type. In the oldest leaves, where the expression of the transgene led to the most marked enhancement in SPS activity, photosynthesis was also increased. It was concluded that these increases in the capacity for sucrose synthesis and carbon assimilation, particularly in older leaves, accelerate the whole plant development and increase the abundance of flowers without substantial changes in the overall shoot biomass.